The Hostage
by Spunky0ne
Summary: AU - Contracted by the powerful Juha Bach to abduct and later kill Kuchiki heir, Byakuya, professional hit man, Sousuke Aizen, finds that there is more to the somber young man than meets the eye. What begins as an abduction becomes a layered scheme that may get both men killed. Aizen/Byakuya with some Renji/Tetsuya, Kyouraku/Ukitake, Ichigo/Rukia, and Grimmjow/Ulquiorra.
1. Targeting

**The Hostage**

**By Spunky0ne**

**(By request for Picklez80! :) Hope you like it. After reading On Top, Picklez has requested another AU with Juha Bach as a powerful, backstabbing manipulator, who wants control of the prestigious Kuchiki family's holdings. He engages professional strongarm and assassin, Sousuke Aizen to abduct the Kuchiki heir, a twenty-year-old man named Byakuya. Little does Aizen know that the plot goes much deeper than kidnapping, and that Bach is manipulating him as well as the Kuchiki family. It should be a somewhat dark and exciting love story with two wicked leads and the somber, but very courageous, Byakuya, caught in their crosshairs! Warning...Also by request, Byakuya will, as in On Top, be a hermaphrodite and will become pregnant. Just want to make sure not to offend anyone! Enjoy the story. Love, Spunky)**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: Targeting**

"Sir?" said a questioning male voice, causing Juha Bach's dark eyes to lift and observe the person quietly.

"Yes, Haschwald," he answered his golden-haired assistant.

"Sousuke Aizen has arrived."

"Very well," Bach answered in a deep, velvety voice, "Show him in."

He watched closely as Aizen entered the room, noting the man's graceful walk, self-assured bearing and somewhat cocky looking smirk.

"Greetings Sousuke," he said, looking into the man's deceptively warm looking brown eyes, "Why don't you sit down?"

Nodding briefly, Aizen moved forward and accepted Bach's extended hand, then sat down in the chair in front of him.

"You killed two of my guards on the way up here," Bach noted casually.

"Three, actually," Aizen corrected him, "I concealed one of the bodies."

"I see," Bach replied, a smile coming to his lips, "Not an easy task. But then, you are an exceptional killer. You have a distinguished reputation."

"Arigatou," Aizen said quietly, "Now, are you going to tell me why you are interested in my services?"

Bach nodded and handed him a manilla envelope. He watched as Aizen opened it and studied the picture of the young man who was to be his target.

"You want me to kill Byakuya Kuchiki?"

"I want you to abduct him. I do not want you to kill him. You will take him to the address in that envelope and remain with him until I give you further orders. But...it is important that you keep him alive unless I give you a direct order to kill him. He will be part of some delicate negotiations. And if you kill him and disrupt things, I will not be pleased."

"And what makes you think I wish to act as a babysitter for a rich, spoiled brat?" Aizen asked, frowning, "I am, as one would say, 'not that kind of killer.' Why engage me to care for him?"

"As I said, negotiations with his family will be complicated. They are an odd group, and there is one who would not mind at all if Byakuya died. You may get to kill him eventually, and trust me when I tell you that your reward for adhering to my plan will be substantial."

"I am a rich man already," Aizen chuckled softly, "Why would I want to bother when there are so many more challenging targets to hold my interest?"

"Because I have something that you want."

Aizen frowned.

"And what would that be?"

A slow, wicked smile overtook Bach's face as he set a small vial on the desk, between them.

"What is that?" Aizen asked, his voice still calm, but his gaze intent.

Bach's soft left sent a chill of expectation down his spine.

"It is something to stave off the effects of the poison that was given to you as you rode the elevator up here."

"Oh," Aizen said, nodding approvingly, "How very well played."

"The second dose of this compound will be delivered when you have obtained Byakuya, and the antidote when the mission is done."

"I see," Aizen said, smirking.

Bach gave him a curious look and Aizen laughed softly.

"What is so amusing?"

"The third person I killed was the elevator attendant. And then, I took the stairs."

Aizen rose and turned his back on the other man.

"I will be happy to accept the job."

"Oh? Why? Bach asked, frowning, "I thought that you didn't enjoy babysitting."

"Babysitting? No," Aizen answered, looking deeply into Bach's dark eyes, "But playing with you, I enjoy very much."

"Very well, then."

"I will call you when I have completed the abduction," said Aizen, walking to the doorway, "Be ready with the first installment."

"Of course. Good day, Sousuke."

"Good day, Juha Bach."

XXXXXXXXXX

"There you are," Aizen said softly, looking into the viewfinder on his camera.

The camera fired off repeated shots as he followed the Kuchiki heir's steps, from the front of the Kuchiki estate home to the waiting car.

"I have the information on the driver and front passenger," said the silver haired man sitting beside him in the car, "Renji Abarai, his driver and bodyguard, and Tetsuya Kuchiki, a cousin and second bodyguard. He is rarely without one, the other, or both. The two bodyguards are quite close. It seems the winsome Tetsuya is homosexual, and has introduced Renji Abarai to the fine world of male on male eroticism."

"Lovely."

"Yes, evidently, beneath that lovely, shy looking surface, Tetsuya is quite the little hot tamale."

"Thank you, Gin. Now, I want you to follow, but do not be seen."

"They are scheduled to go downtown, to the Reed Street Studios," Gin went on, "He and his adopted sister, Rukia have a couple of family friends who will be performing in an opera tonight, and she and Byakuya are going, along with the two bodyguards. The two are going in, while Renji and Tetsuya will be down in the limousine waiting area, likely enjoying some one on one time."

"Hmmm. You seem quite fascinated with those two."

"Well, you said you wanted detailed information on Byakuya and his security staff."

"Yes, I did."

Aizen's fingers tapped at the keys of the laptop in front of him as Gin pulled away from the curb and began to follow the limousine, at a careful distance. The assassin's narrowed brown eyes scanned one screen, then switched to another, then a third.

"Hmmm," he muttered again.

"Are you going to make your move during the concert?" Gin asked, "Although, I think you could have had him several times over already."

"Ah, but seamless abduction is an art form, Gin," Aizen chided him smoothly, "To be done well, it must be such a smooth exchange that no one is the wiser until it is much too late."

"I would have thought that taking him from his bed would be easy for you. Or is that too easy?"

"Ah, but a sleeping target hardly feels like game," Aizen mused, looking down at Byakuya's lovely face on the camera screen, "It is so much better to experience that long moment of disbelief, when he struggles, but realizes that struggle is useless and is forced to yield control. Intoxicating...though what happens next, the abduction or the death is much less interesting."

"But, I thought you enjoyed killing."

"Killing? Not so much. Hunting and capture...much more enjoyable."

"As long as you can hand them off to someone else to babysit, ne?"

"Are you offering to watch over Byakuya?" Aizen asked, smirking, "Why, Gin, you must be smitten."

"He is a lovely boy, isn't he?" Gin chuckled, "I could find plenty to do with a beauty like that!"

"Couldn't you?" Aizen mused sedately, "But that will not be necessary. This is a special assignment. An 'exclusive,' if you will. Juha Bach is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill employer. He has some very specific desires."

"Oh?"

"Byakuya is to be expertly captured, so that no one knows who has taken him, nor where he has been imprisoned. And he is to be kept safely, until such time as the order for his release...or his death."

"But that still leaves some latitude for creativity," Gin suggested, "I could work with that."

"Thank you for the kind offer, but I believe I will handle this personally."

"Hmmm," Gin chuckled, "I think I am not the only one who is smitten. You _like_ him, don't you?"

"Who? Byakuya Kuchiki?"

"Juha Bach," Gin said, arching an eyebrow.

"He is refreshingly different," Aizen observed, continuing to tap at the keyboard, "though, at times, shockingly brutal. It keeps a person on his toes."

"Hmmm," Gin said, shaking his head, "You do like to play with dangerous things, don't you, Sousuke?"

"Yes, don't I?"

They paused in their conversation as the limousine carrying the Kuchiki heir stopped at a luxury apartment complex, where Tetsuya exited the vehicle and returned a short time later with Rukia in tow.

"My, what a delectable kimono," Gin purred.

"Whose, Rukia's?" Aizen asked, looking up for a moment.

"Tetsuya's. It goes so well with those charming blue eyes of his."

"Try not to be distracted," Aizen sighed, "Although I do agree, it is a good choice for him."

He continued studying the information on the computer screen as Gin followed the Kuchiki siblings to the studio. Their limousine was met at the studio entrance by two security guards and a well dressed and slightly stern looking young woman.

"That will be Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentaro Kotsubaki, and the woman is Shunsui Kyouraku's assistant, Nanao Ise. Shunsui and his lover, Juushiro Ukitake are both male leads in tonight's show. Kiyone and Sentaro are Ukitake's bodyguards. The two gentlemen are longtime friends of the Kuchiki family. The Kuchiki siblings will be returning here, after the show, for a cast party."

"Ah," said Aizen, unbuckling his seatbelt, "Wait here."

He stepped out of the car and made his way across the street, then slipped into the brush near the building and skirted its perimeter. As he crept along the far side, he spotted a small walkway and deck that overlooked a lake, behind the studios. A moment later, he smiled as his target stepped into view.

"Oh, that would be where you would go, wouldn't it? And it's not even nightfall yet. But you will be out under the stars tonight...a little bit of sake in your blood and weary of being amongst so many people. Moongazing is much more your style, ne Byakuya Kuchiki?"

He watched as Byakuya was joined on the deck by the white-haired Ukitake, moving closer to hear their conversation.

"How is your grandfather doing," Juushiro asked, "We were all upset to hear that his health had gotten so poor."

"The doctors are doing what they can," Byakuya said quietly, "But we are very worried. He took my father's death badly. I have tried to step in and assist him as much as possible, but I don't seem to be so much help. It would be different if it wasn't for my condition, but to know that my grandfather's legacy will end with me is a burden."

"His condition?" Aizen mused, frowning and trying to remember mention of any medical concern.

But as far as he could remember, the Kuchiki heir had been reported to be in excellent health.

Juushiro placed a warm hand on Byakuya's shoulder and moved in closer.

"I am sure that Ginrei is not worried so much about that, but that some of the other family members may become troublesome...especially your uncle Isas and that little viper, Orochi."

"I can manage them," Byakuya sighed, lowering his eyes.

A disturbed look rose on Byakuya's face as Juushiro slipped an arm around him and cornered him.

"Well, you know I am here for you. Shunsui is as well. Why don't you plan on staying here with us after the party tonight? Let us take your mind off of your troubles."

"My apologies," Byakuya said quickly, ducking out of the man's embrace and turning towards the door, "Rukia and I have plans for early in the morning. But...thank you for the kind invitation, Juushiro."

The Kuchiki heir paused and blinked, looking in Aizen's direction and frowning. Aizen went still, his heart skipping in his chest.

_He saw me?_

_You have very sharp eyes, Byakuya Kuchiki. Too bad that seeing me will not do you any good, since no one knows my face._

He watched as the Kuchiki heir and his friend walked back into the building, then carefully slipped away, chuckling as a security detail exited the building and began to check the bushes where he had been. He returned to the car and found Gin working quietly on his laptop.

"How did things go?" he asked amiably.

"Better than expected," Aizen said sedately, "He saw me."

"Really?" said Gin, looking up and grinning, "Not just another pretty face, ne?"

"Perhaps. He could be interesting. But we should go now," Aizen said, taking the laptop and beginning a search of Byakuya's medical records.

"Is something wrong?" Gin asked, "That's his medical file, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"He's not ill, is he?"

"Not to my knowledge," Aizen said, studying the information closely, "But something he said made it sound like there was a problem, perhaps with his fertility. Still, I do not see any record of it here. Strange..."

"Well, they'd want to keep something like that quiet, wouldn't they?"

"Yes. probably. So, they may have gone to a friend...kept it quiet."

"Well, a fertility issue isn't a big deal, since you are only going to kill him, at some point, right?"

"I was just curious."

"He made you curious? You had better watch yourself, Sousuke. You already lost one of your 'nine lives' from being too curious and getting emotionally involved."

"If I was 'involved,' it wouldn't be with Byakuya Kuchiki," Aizen said calmly, "Juha Bach is a much greater danger."

"Oh, but he is such an obvious one," laughed Gin, "Byakuya is the one you had best watch out for. He could slip beneath your radar and make you vulnerable."

"Don't make me laugh," Aizen said in a soft, icy voice, "It might make my gun go off by mistake."

"Ooh, aren't you all scary today!" Gin said, grinning more widely.

"Let's go find something to eat," Aizen said absently, contemplating Byakuya's picture, then closing his laptop, "We will come back after nightfall and move into position."

"Here? After being seen? Are you trying to get caught?"

"I won't be caught," Aizen said silkenly, "There is not a man alive who could capture me."


	2. The White Quarry

**Chapter 2: The White Quarry**

**(Thanks so much to SCJ0263 (I'm so flattered! I am glad that you are enjoying this, and my other offerings. Welcome!), ThisLittlePiggyStayedHome (Hmmm, I think they'll have each other all tied up before this is over!), Casting Moonlight (Oh yes, Bya will waste no time in getting under Aizen's skin! This will heat up quickly!), Sariniste (Aizen is really more wicked here than in most of my Aizen stories, but he has a weakness for Byakuya that will trip him up a bit. And just wait until he actually falls in love. I think Juha Bach had better watch out!), Kimi (Sorry for the long wait. I am much more on top of this story now!), MissLilly2012 (You've got it!), Aizenfan6969 (Here you go!), Picklez80 (Well, thanks for the cool and different idea. I am really enjoying this request!), and Lilbit1016 (I am so glad you like it!). Enjoy the new chapter! Love you, Spunky) **

_People make the mistake of believing that a sociopath, one who takes lives, is not able to connect with another's emotions, with another's pain. That is a great departure from the truth. While there are those who do not have the ability to connect with another life, to walk in its shoes and feel its pain, that is not why I am the way I am._

_Perhaps I am unique._

_I do feel for the ones I capture. I get to know them. I watch the way they live their lives, the way they move and breathe and think. Until they cannot make a move that I do not expect._

_When I take them, I strike quickly and cleanly. If I mean to kill, I only make sure that our eyes meet and that I see the moment when that person knows it is all about to end. Some meet that moment with little more than surprise, some with tears or a shriek of pain. And some fight to the very end. Whatever the path, I am there in that last moment, so that they do not meet it alone._

_If I mean to capture, I stalk silently. I find that place of false invulnerability, that place of safety in their lives and steal it away. I take them from behind so that I can feel the tension and the fight in their bodies. I only make sure that the fight is silent, and that it ends with a long, slow fall into unconsciousness, but that they do not see my face._

_Byakuya Kuchiki has already distinguished himself in that he has seen my face. Normally, this would invite death, but there is a different protocol for this one. For the time being, at least, he must remain alive. I feel something different this time. _

_For some reason, that excites me._

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, how was the performance?" Tetsuya asked, using the rearview mirror to meet his cousins' eyes.

"It was a comedy," said Rukia, "I couldn't stop laughing the whole time. And even Byakuya was smiling by the end."

"I did find it quite amusing," Byakuya agreed, "It was good to have something to lift our spirits."

"And the party should really be something!" Rukia said excitedly.

Tetsuya looked back over his shoulder at Byakuya.

"Should I slip out to where you will be stargazing so that those two old playboys won't try to corner you, Cousin?"

"Don't worry about it," Byakuya sighed, "Remember, they are family friends and they have been very good to us during grandfather's illness. We don't wish to insult them."

"Well, I don't know about you," chuckled Renji, "But friends of the family or not, if I see'em mauling you, I'm going to let them know they've overstepped. Eh...unless it's like you _want _to be fooling around with them."

"Renji!" Tetsuya exclaimed, frowning, "How dare you speak to my cousin that way!"

"It is all right, Tetsuya. Renji is probably right that I should be more assertive about telling them to leave off. I just don't want to offend two very close friends of Grandfather's."

"Hey," Renji whispered to Tetsuya, "You don't think that ol' Ginrei was...?"

Tetsuya swatted the redhead on the arm.

"That is enough!" he said indignantly, "One more word and I will eject you from the limo and you will have to walk home or find a taxi!"

"Out here? Are you nuts?" Renji objected.

"Then you had best behave yourself!"

Laughter bubbled through the limo as the group continued on to the studio. The vehicle slowed as it reached the drop off point, in front of the building, and Rukia and Byakuya exited the vehicle. Renji pulled the car into the parking area and followed Tetsuya into the building.

Outside the structure, Sousuke Aizen took in a breath of the cold night air and smiled at the sight of his lovely quarry.

"Soon, Byakuya Kuchiki, very soon now, we will meet," he whispered, feeling a touch of adrenalin at the mere thought.

He moved out of the brush and walked slowly along the edge of the field, next to the studio building, careful to stay just outside of the activation area for the security lights. He found a section where the lights were already on because of the party that was taking place, waited for the moment when the two bored looking security guards looked away, then slipped closer, angling towards the place where he was sure that Byakuya would come to moongaze alone, at some point during the party.

He breathed in more deeply, his heart throbbing in his chest as he imagined what it was going to feel like to wrap his arms around the handsome young heir and overpower him, to feel the younger man's strength give way to his, and feel him go limp and quiet in his arms.

_Some people find ecstasy in lovemaking. I find it in stealth and domination. Sex is merely a sweet surrender, after the fact, if it happens._

He closed his eyes, enjoying the rhythmic pulse of the music that leaked out of the building and livened up the otherwise quiet environs. He watched people come and go, smirking at how they moved within feet of the most dangerous man they would ever share presence with and never realized a thing. Had he not been involved in stalking Byakuya, he might have taken a life, just for the thrill that was running through his veins at the moment.

He barely noticed time passing as the night crawled forward and the revelry inside intensified as merriment and drink dulled the senses and relinquished the inhibitions of those within the establishment. Aizen had nearly become drunk on the sight of the beautiful moon and stars, himself, when the door he had been watching opened, and the object of his mission stepped outside, onto the balcony.

Aizen had positioned himself carefully and was poised in a crevice and had only to drop quietly down behind the man and incapacitate him, then drag him into the alcove and down the set of steps, just beneath them.

Byakuya let the door close softly behind him and moved out onto the walkway, finding the place that was best for viewing the moon, and the way it reflected down onto the river beneath. The soft rushing of the water hid the soft sound of Aizen's voice as he spoke into a small microphone.

"Gin?"

"I have the two in my sights. They didn't see him leave. Grimmjow is watching the door."

"Good."

Aizen moved forward, his heart beginning to race, and a feral glint in his eye as he prepared to move. In front and just below him, Byakuya rested against the cold, iron railing and looked out over the water with a pensive expression. He breathed in the icy night air, feeling an odd, electric chill inside. And for reasons he couldn't make sense of, he suddenly felt an urge to go back inside. He turned suddenly, missing altogether, the soft sound of Sousuke Aizen dropping down from his place of concealment. Byakuya gasped and his eyes widened, as the two came unexpectedly, face to face.

"You!" Byakuya managed, backing away.

"_Boss,_" Grimmjow's voice intoned in the device in Aizen's ear, "_The two old guys got past me._"

Adrenalin fired itself through Aizen's veins as he heard the small sound of the door handle beginning to turn. He shot forward, shocking Byakuya into freezing, as he swept both of them over the railing. He wasn't sure if he could believe his senses at not hearing a sound of any kind come from the younger man. And he was even more surprised that when they struck the water together, Byakuya was not still frozen from shock, but reacted instantly, kicking free of him and using the current to angle away from him.

But Sousuke Aizen hadn't gotten where he was by letting opportunity escape him. He recovered quickly and followed his retreating quarry, keeping himself in the shadows and careful not to reveal himself as he watched the young man catch on to some of the water plants and pull himself to shore. He struggled through the swampy edge and gained the shore, then paused briefly, resting for a moment at the edge, panting hard and looking all around with fearful eyes. As soon as he could move again, he climbed to his feet and ran.

Aizen was intelligent enough to know that the cause was lost, for the moment and turned his attention to preventing capture, himself.

"Gin," he said softly.

He chuckled softly, realizing that the water had interfered with the communications, and marveled at just how wrong everything had gone. He tried to remember anyone ever proving to be so elusive and failed, then was left with an intense lust for this surprisingly lucky young man.

_Yes, luck was definitely with him. No one has ever escaped me when I struck. But this young man did._

_Fascinating..._

_And now, twice, Byakuya Kuchiki has looked me in the eyes._

_He knows now that I am coming for him, though I am sure that he has no idea why. He might suspect it is about the money, but he has no idea that money is not what drives me. What drives me is the lust I have for capture and domination. That need in me makes me willing to go well beyond the limits one would expect. And it will lead him to underestimate me._

_Yes._

_We will try this again, Byakuya Kuchiki. And next time you look into my eyes, it will be as you give in to me._

He heard the sound of sirens in the distance and smiled.

"You are a resourceful one Byakuya," he said softly, slipping into the shadows as a police car sped by him, "but resourceful or not, surprising or not, lucky or not, you will not escape me. Still, go ahead and try. It will only make me more excited."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Byakuya!" Rukia called frantically, running to where he brother stood with an armed guard.

Her's eyes rounded at the sight of him, wet from head to foot and shivering beneath the coat that someone had wrapped around his slender shoulders.

"Brother, are you all right?"

"I am fine," he assured her, sitting down on a chair as one of the studio staff cleaned and bandaged a wound on his forearm.

"What happened?" Tetsuya exclaimed as he and Renji joined them, "No one saw or heard a thing!"

"That man," Byakuya panted softly, "The one from earlier today. He was here. I was just standing on the balcony, outside the back door, looking up at the moon. I turned to go back, and he was just _there_! I never heard him, never saw a sign before he just appeared. And then, I think that he heard the door begin to open and he threw us over the rail, into the river. I managed to escape him. I don't know where he went."

"I am sorry," Tetsuya said penitently, "I should have stayed closer to you, especially after you spotting him earlier."

"Do you have any idea who this guy is?" asked Renji.

"No," Byakuya said in a haunted voice, "I have never seen him before today."

The group looked up as several policemen were ushered into the room and they quickly began questioning the young man. As Byakuya sat quietly alongside his sister and bodyguards, Gin and Grimmjow melted in among the staff, watching carefully, and listening in. They waited until the young man had told his story, then slipped quietly away and joined their comrade for the ride home. Gin studied the damp Aizen's piqued expression and riled eyes, nothing an intense aggressiveness in the man.

"He really got to you," Gin observed, "Your eyes look like they could kill."

"Very few people are able to surprise me, but Byakuya Kuchiki has a gift for it. I admit to being intrigued."

"How do you think that Juha Bach will respond to you not capturing him?"

"I am sure that man has better things to do than watch over my every move. Besides, Byakuya Kuchiki has only escaped me for the moment. Before he knows what happened, he is going to fall at my feet. No one escapes me, Gin. No one."

"Ooh, he did get to you!" Gin purred, "You do like him, Sousuke, ne?"

Aizen huffed out a soft breath and ignored the question, his mind wandering back as their car sped away from the studio.

_Everything about Byakuya was so soft, beautifully fragrant...enticing. I still feel the softness of his clothing, of his skin, and that lovely hint of cherry blossoms._

_Enchanting..._

_I very much look forward to meeting him again._

XXXXXXXXXX

"House security has been informed about what happened," Tetsuya told Byakuya, as his cousin removed his wet clothes and proceeded to the bathroom, "We have extra staff patrolling the grounds now, and we will continue to be vigilant. I apologize again that you were left vulnerable, Cousin. I would die if anything happened to you!"

"It is all right, Tetsuya," Byakuya assured his distressed bodyguard, "I feel safe here. There is so much security. I was vulnerable because we were out in the open, and we were not expecting trouble. Being at home and with everyone watching out for me, I feel perfectly safe."

"We won't let anything happen to you," Tetsuya promised.

"Thank you," Byakuya said gratefully.

He took his leave of his cousin and adjourned to the shower, where he turned on the water and waited silently as it warmed. He stepped in, under the steamy spray, his heart still beating at a rapid pace as his mind replayed what had happened. And, as it had when it had happened, something struck Byakuya as odd about the attempted abduction.

_Those arms that wrapped around me...that held on to me so possessively...they..._

He knew the man was a criminal. Even thinking back to the feral, predatory look in his eyes, he knew the man wasn't just dangerous, but deadly. He was a man that had killed before, and would likely do so again. The thought made the young man shiver, even though the water was comfortably warm.

_Who is that man? And why is he targeting me? I can imagine someone wanting to hold me for ransom, but this man does not seem like that type. He doesn't just do this for a living, he lives for this. I felt that in his gaze, in his touch. And just because he failed this time...he won't give up. He will try again._

He quivered inside at the thought, but quickly chided himself for his paranoid reaction.

_I am safe here. This home is like a fortress. We have the best possible security and we are on guard for this man. He will not be able to strike at me here. He will wait until I go out. But, from now on, I will be exceedingly careful. I will give him no openings._

He tried to put it out of his mind, then, letting the thoughts run with the water, down his slender, pale form to pool at his feet and be carried off, so that he could relax enough to sleep. He stayed for a long time under the water, closing his eyes and letting the tension drain out of him, before turning off the water and stepping out into the steam-filled bathroom.

Byakuya swallowed hard at the sudden return of fear, for just a moment, before the steam began to clear and he could see the whole interior of the bathroom again. He chuckled at his silliness in being so afraid in his own home. He dried off slowly, his mind turning to other thoughts. And by the time he left the bathroom and fell into his bed, he had nearly forgotten his worries.

They returned to him several times throughout the night, in dark dreams and flashes of memory. Time and time again, he felt those unforgiving, possessive arms enslave his body, carrying him over the cold, iron railing and plunging down into a dark abyss, leaving him shivering and panting with fear.

"Ah," said Sousuke Aizen, from where he watched the image of Byakuya tossing and turning in his sleep, "You are dreaming of me? How lovely. Soon, Byakuya. Soon, we will meet again."


	3. New Moon Rises

**Chapter 3: New Moon Rises**

**(Okay, you might have noticed, but just to be sure, I'll tell you. I had briefly switched the rating on this to 'T' but found that it's not going to be possible to write this fic as a 'T' rated, so the rating went up to 'M'. I mean, come on, how was I supposed to have Aizen fantasizing about Byakuya and have it stay 'T' rated? Not possible, so...upped rating. Hope you don't mind! Anyhow, thanks going out to Geecee (Yes, this is just the beginning of me showing my gratitude for the lovely favor you are doing for me! *hugs* You are the best! And I will show my appreciation in a vibrant display of beautiful Aizen/Bya, plus the update of the Tsukishima/Bya story, _The Final Page_.). Thanks also to the wonderful Sariniste, who helps to keep my Aizenfires kindled! Thanks to the anonymous guest who wrote to encourage, and to Nyu (Ah yes, Aizen is charismatic and so very deadly! I am loving him in this!), WinterStorm03 (I will be doing some more AU, since between _On Top_ and this one, it's going very well! That reminds me, I have to update _On Top_! Been meaning to do that!), SCJ0263(Heehee! Don't think Sousuke can wait for that either!), TehWonderer (Say no more! Here is...MORE!), Picklez80 (Byakuya and Aizen will tease each other terribly! I promise!), Aizenfan6969 (Yes, this work suits him very well!), Lilbit1016 (lol, That assumes that he CAN run and actually get away! Hmmm, don't think so...) Enjoy the new chapter! Love, Spunky...Oh and PS...Sorry to have disappeared and worried a few people over the last three days. Just got really sick and wasn't up to anything. I'm fine now and back to business! Thanks to everyone who PM'ed!). **

Byakuya tossed and turned in his sleep, sweat breaking out on his forehead and his hands clenching at the bedding as he found himself returned once more to the place where he had first seen, then been attacked by the dangerous brown-eyed man.

_He stood on the wooden balcony, outside the studio, looking up at the moon, but feeling again, those dark, feral eyes that stalked him._

_"Byakuya," the man said, the voice he remembered from before chilling him with its deceptive gentleness, "you must have discovered that you can't run from me."_

_He whirled and faced the stranger, backing away as the man moved forward._

_"Who are you?" he demanded, "Why are you doing this?"_

_"What pointless questions," the man chided him, closing in on him, "Those questions are only useful to a man crafty enough to escape me. And you are not going to escape. You sense that, don't you?"_

_"Stay back! Don't come any closer!" Byakuya warned the man, fresh chills racing down his spine as his attacker laughed softly._

_"Oh, but I plan to get much closer to you, Byakuya. I will get inside you and possess you. You will never escape me, now that our eyes have met."_

_He wanted to scream as the studio door handle began to turn, but he could no longer move or speak as the man's strong body collided with his, dragging him over the railing and into a long, black plunge into the dark, icy water. The man's maddeningly sedate voice whispered in his ear as they fell, making him freeze all of the way through, before the water had time to seep in._

_"You cannot escape me. I am death, which must eventually be embraced. But have no fear, you will not face death alone."_

_"Let go of me!" he screamed soundlessly into the roiling water, kicking hard and struggling to break free._

_But those powerful arms held him passionately, keeping him submerged until his lungs ached for air and his mind began to dim. Byakuya opened his eyes and found, to his surprise, that the water was lit, and the man's body was eerily illuminated. He smiled and gazed deeply into Byakuya's shocked eyes as the younger man's body went limp and the lovely gray eyes blinked and slowly closed for the last time. Byakuya could still feel the man's smile, even as life began to leave his body._

_Then, at the very end, he felt the man's strangely warm lips touch his in parting._

_"Farewell."_

Byakuya's eyes flew open suddenly, and he sat up in his bed, gripping the bedding tightly and barely holding back a cry of terror. He looked around the darkened room, still feeling the frightening presence of the man from his dream. But nothing moved in the dark corners. Everything looked exactly as it should. And finally, the paralyzing fear left him and common sense began to take over.

"It was just a dream," he whispered, wishing fervently for the words to be true, "I am safe in my home and surrounded by many protections."

He closed his eyes again and laid down, weariness stealing over him quickly. He turned his head to look out the large bay window nearest his bed, then went cold inside as he realized that someone was looking in at him. The moon both outlined the shape of the man and obscured his face. But even not seeing the man's face, he knew who it must be.

This time, he couldn't hold back a cry as he abandoned his bed and flew to the bedroom door. Instantly, he heard running footsteps in the hallway, and Renji and Tetsuya's voices as the two responded immediately to the disturbance.

"Byakuya!" Tetsuya cried, "What is it? Are you all right?"

"It was _him_!" Byakuya said in a shaken hiss, "It was that man from before!"

Tetsuya held his handgun ready and nudged Byakuya's bedroom door open wider, then he peered around the doorframe, seeking any sign of Byakuya's assailant. Byakuya remained behind his cousin, with Renji close at his side as Tetsuya entered the room and cast his eyes about, noting that the house alarm was still active, and that neither of the large windows had been breached. He moved about slowly and meticulously, checking every corner of the room, then slipping the weapon back into his holster and returning to where Byakuya, Renji, and an awakened Torio waited.

"The room is secured," Tetsuya informed them, "But Renji and I will check the balcony together."

Byakuya nodded briefly, stepping into the room behind the two bodyguards and watching closely as Tetsuya breathed an order to the other guards on duty, then turned off the house alarms to allow the two men to exit onto the balcony. They searched the area carefully, then returned to Byakuya and Torio, shaking their heads briefly.

"We did not find anything amiss and the report from the guards monitoring the security cameras picked up nothing," Tetsuya reported, closing and locking the doors, then setting the house alarms again, "But that does not mean that he was not there. I shall go at once and have a camera trained on your balcony and windows."

Byakuya felt a flush touch his features and his frowned thoughtfully.

"You are kind to give me the benefit of the doubt," he said ruefully, "However, it is entirely possible that it was simply an emotional response to what happened at the party."

"Byakuya," Tetsuya said bracingly, "You mustn't be so quick to write this off as an emotional reaction. You have very good instincts about things, and if your first instinct was that this was real, then we will proceed accordingly. After all, even if it was your imagination, it is certainly no bother to keep security tight. And if you were correct, the protection will be there when you need it. Do not worry."

"He's right," Renji added, laying a supportive hand on Tetsuya's shoulder and earning a warm smile from Byakuya's younger cousin, "Even if you weren't really seeing him outside the window, we know that guy definitely tried to get to you at the party. It would be stupid of us to let our guard down when we know he will probably try to reach you again."

"Well...thank you," Byakuya said gratefully, "But, I think I will go back to bed now."

Tetsuya nodded, but met him with a thoughtful expression.

"Why don't you use the safe room tonight?" he suggested, "If only for the fact you might sleep better there, it would be worth it."

"Ah," Byakuya said, nodding, "I think that is a wise suggestion. I will sleep better there, I think. My apologies for being so rattled by all of this."

"It is nothing," Tetsuya assured him, "That is why we are here."

XXXXXXXXXX

Sousuke Aizen undressed slowly, his lips smiling and his heart still racing softly with excitement from his recklessness in having allowed Byakuya Kuchiki to see him, not once, nor twice, but three times on the same day. And each time, those lovely gray eyes had given something both intoxicating and enticing, different expressions that reflected hints of foreknowledge that they were going to meet again and fear at the prospect of falling under the abductor's power.

Byakuya was a person known for being both highly intelligent and supremely resourceful, as he had shown in thwarting the crafty Aizen's first attempt to snare him. Both now understood that they would meet again, and Byakuya seemed wise enough to know to take precautions. But the prospect of facing that challenge only made Aizen's heart race faster, and only made the 'prize' of feeling Byakuya yield to him more enchanting.

And for the first time he could remember, the attraction was beginning to transcend simple lust for dominance and bordering on awakening his sexual appetite.

Indeed, as he stepped into the shower, and the hot water trailed in streams down his exposed flesh, he couldn't help but feel how he had hardened at only the memory of standing just on the other side of the glass window...looking in at his vulnerable and sleeping target, already knowing how easy it would be to fool the alarms and slip inside. Yes, he could have made another attempt, then and there, but that sharp mind that dwelled in Byakuya's devilishly luscious body had awakened him and allowed him to see the danger approaching.

Aizen's retreat had been inconceivably swift and he prided himself on being so perfect in his passage that none would know if he had really been there or not...not even Byakuya. The protections would be tightened after that, he was sure.

Not that it would matter.

The time would come again that he would cut through those defenses like a knife through softened butter, and take hold of what was fast becoming the greatest prize his wicked feats had ever yielded.

Yes...he was coming to treasure the prospect of laying hands on Byakuya Kuchiki with as much excitement as he had enjoyed the thought of bracing Juha Bach and being the one to finally kill the man.

"Ah, yes," he whispered to the heated mist around him, "When this is done..."

But, he reminded himself, there was something to be done first. And before he saw to that, he needed to rest and restore himself. He turned his concentration to layering the soap onto his body, closing his eyes and breathing in the steam, then catching a sweet scent that brought Byakuya floating back into his mind. And before he quite realized what was happening, he found himself in the midst of a lovely fantasy...one that fast left him breathless and on the edges of bliss without touching himself at all.

_Byakuya sat quietly in his study, in a finely crafted wooden chair and focused deeply on a book he was reading. He breathed in and out in a slow, relaxed fashion, his eyes dilating slightly as he sank deeper and deeper into his work. He was so intent on what he was doing, he had no idea that the house defenses had been breached, and that Aizen was closing in on him. Within calling distance of his protectors, and with the house alarms set, he was comfortable and felt perfectly safe._

_Aizen's hands expertly worked at the window's defenses, manipulating them just so and leaving them in a helpless loop as he noiselessly opened the window and slid into an unoccupied room. He moved quickly then, first subduing Byakuya's charming younger cousin, then his feisty red-haired lover...leaving them alive, but unconscious in a rare, magnanimous gesture, because he knew of their value to the one he had come for. It was easy then, to stalk down the hallway and to slip into the study. He stood for a moment, looking at Byakuya's handsome outline in front of him, then moved forward on cat's feet...reaching him in an instant and covering his mouth to keep him silent...striking like a snake with a compound that would quickly leave him unable to fight, but fully aware. He held Byakuya tightly, relishing the tension under his hands...the fury that raged against him, then the slow weakening as the toxin took effect, leaving Byakuya helpless, but resoundingly aware of the man who had overcome him._

_But strangely, even as he lifted Byakuya's limp body into his arms, those dark, beautiful eyes continued to look back at him with the same withering fury. As much as he was helpless, he was not giving up. No, not this man. Instead, he gave Aizen a look that promised he would continue to fight as soon as he found any opening. It was a belligerent bearing for him to take, considering his circumstances, but it was natural enough for Byakuya._

_Aizen breathed in the scent of flowers that surrounded his pretty captive, smiling down at his combative expression appreciatively._

_And before he realized what he was doing, he found his head lowering and his lips seeking his helpless captive's._

_Those sweet, angry lips were softer than he had imagined, and far warmer. They wanted to resist, but the drug made them weak and pliant. Aizen plunged inside, treasuring the smooth surfaces and delicious heat. He almost forgot where he was and nearly walked into a pair of guards that roamed the hallways, then was forced to do something he never had been before...to flee the scene heedlessly, holding his prize tightly in his arms._

Aizen froze for a moment, stunned that even in his imagination that someone could make him become careless like that. He let out a soft breath and shook his head, frowning.

"You are as dangerous in some ways as I am, Byakuya," he mused, "Yes, despite that lovely face, you are not simply all vanity and pride. You are wholly enchanting. And I can't wait to take possession of that and enjoy it to its fullest extent!"

_He fell back into his fantasy of kissing Byakuya's piqued lips, of tying him down and plundering every inch of that sacred white flesh. And as he raked hungrily over his captive's surrendered body, he felt the fight go out of the man, and the beginnings of his rising arousal. He watched as the dark, raging eyes flickered dangerously as anger collided with unbridled lust. Climax overtook Aizen, just feeling the very beginnings of Byakuya's return kisses._

Aizen's brown eyes blinked, and he rested his back against the warm, wet tiled wall, letting the waves of pleasure warm his insides and feeling the pounding throbs of his heart as it began to come back under his control.

"Ah," he sighed softly, closing his eyes again, "My dear Byakuya..."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Byakuya," Torio said softly, his voice urgent as he sought to wake his sleeping cousin.

Byakuya's gray eyes opened and blinked, then cleared and fastened on his attendant.

"What is it, Torio?" he asked, already suspecting what the answer would be.

"Sir, word has come from the hospital that Lord Ginrei wishes for you to come."

"Very well," Byakuya said, sliding out of bed and moving quickly to the dressing area.

Torio hastened into the closet and emerged with the clothing, then swiftly dressed his cousin.

"Did they say that things had gotten worse?" Byakuya asked, somewhat breathlessly, "although, if he is asking for me, it must be worse, ne?"

"I don't know," the attendant confessed, "The message only said that he wished to speak with you immediately."

"I see."

Tetsuya and Renji met him in the hallway and escorted him to where Rukia already waited for him in the limousine. Byakuya and the two bodyguards joined her in the car, looking out the window at the rain that had begun to fall as they sped through the early morning darkness.

"I hope that Grandfather is all right," Rukia said softly, her voice telling Byakuya that she suspected he wasn't.

He couldn't think of any words to reassure her that wouldn't be lies, so he simply squeezed her hand softly in reply and nodded in agreement.

They reached the hospital a few minutes later, and the limousine pulled up to the doors of the building and stopped. Tetsuya and Renji emerged first, looking around briefly, then motioning for the others to join them. Byakuya and Rukia exited the car and accompanied the bodyguards into the hospital, passing through the security checkpoint and being waved on until they reached the ward where their ailing grandfather rested.

Byakuya felt a chill inside at how pale and weak the old man looked, and how his eyes seemed to fight for coherence.

_This is to be the end, then..._

The reality settled over him, carrying a dread weight. But he cast it aside, abandoning everything for the moment, but reaching Ginrei's side.

"Grandfather!" he panted softly, taking a seat beside the family patriarch and gripping his hand comfortingly.

"Ah, Byakuya!" the elder Kuchiki acknowledged weakly, "I am glad that there was time for you to come. I have to tell you...you are in...terrible danger!"

"We already know about the stranger who is trying to kidnap Byakuya," Rukia assured him, "Byakuya was able to escape him."

"No!" Ginrei insisted, "It is not a stranger, but someone once close to me. Listen carefully now. He was here tonight. I don't know what name he goes by now, but when I knew him, he was called Jun Baisotei. We met at a gathering of the noble blooded families, the year before Soujun's death. He was a close friend and confidante of Shigekuni Yamamoto. Up until Yamamoto's death, Jun was always close by his side. But, just before Yamamoto died, he confided in me that Jun was not what he seemed. Thus, I was cautious after my friend's death and avoided letting him close to me. But it seems he has been observing us anyway."

Ginrei's eyes looked deeply into Byakuya's, bearing unbearable pain.

"Byakuya, the truth is...the truth that he confessed to me tonight is...that he was the one who killed Soujun, and he killed Shigekuni Yamamoto!"

"But my father's death was due to his fragility of body, not..."

"No!" Ginrei insisted, grabbing the front of Byakuya's shirt and pulling him closer, "Jun Baisotei _murdered_ Soujun, infusing his body over time with a deadly toxin! He had Yamamoto abducted and beaten to death in front of him! The man came to me tonight and confessed to everything, thinking that I was still unconscious! You must believe me. This is no dream, but a living, breathing nightmare! And Byakuya, he plans to use you next. He told me that he knows..."

Byakuya's eyes widened and he swallowed hard and nodded.

"Byakuya," Rukia said urgently, "Could that man who tried to capture you be connected to Jun Baisotei?"

"Wh-what did he look like?" Ginrei asked, his voice weary and shaking.

"He was slightly taller than me," Byakuya remembered, "with large, dark brown eyes...a gentle sounding voice, though he is obviously a very dangerous man. He is a killer. I felt that in his touch. But he was not trying to kill me. He only tried to capture me. I think he could have been working for someone else."

Ginrei's old eyes darkened worriedly.

"Grandfather," Byakuya said, holding the old man's hand to his chest, "Do you know who that man is?"

"Maybe," Ginrei confirmed, "But if it is who I think it is, then you are going to have to be very cautious, my grandson!"

"Who is he?" Byakuya pleaded, "Grandfather...!"

"His name...is Sousuke Aizen," Ginrei whispered, more weakly, "He is an assassin...a deadly accurate one. He sometimes abducts, but usually kills. Jun was aware of him back then. He...told me to be wary and to have Soujun closely guarded...all the while...he was the one killing my son! And now..."

Ginrei's words failed him, and he reached up and touched a cooling palm to Byakuya's soft cheek.

"Please, Byakuya...please be careful! Do not let Jun reach you. He will turn you into his plaything and use you to take control of the family!"

"I will be careful, Grandfather!" Byakuya promised, "I will stay under guard. We all will. Now, please rest!"

"Byakuya," the old man whispered, looking lovingly into the younger man's eyes, "Y-you will always be m-my p-pride!"

Byakuya and the others froze, watching as Ginrei's eyes fluttered briefly, then closed for the last time. Byakuya kissed the old man's palm, then laid his hand down gently, swallowing hard and blinking back tears. They waited in silence as the medical personnel arrived and leaned over Ginrei, then nodded briefly to Byakuya to confirm what he already knew.

"Come," Byakuya told the others quietly, "Let us return to the manor."


End file.
